Various forms of male undergarments have been developed over the ages. In particular, in more modern times, two types have become most widely known: underwear briefs, sometimes referred to as “jockey shorts,” and a loosely fitting shorts known as “boxers.”
Men's briefs are generally constructed with one or more trunk panels, and overlapping front panels. The briefs known in the art have commonly been constructed so that the trunk panel is joined to the overlapping front panels along a pair of vertical, spaced-ap art, and generally parallel seams. The overlapping front panels typically define a singular fly opening for access through the outermost panel to the penis for purposes of urination. Because use of the fly formed by the front panels places repeated stress on the scams, the seams must be reinforced. To ensure adequate reinforcement of these seams, a trim strip formed of folded material is stitched over the seam. While the trim strip strengthens the seam, a ridge, or raised area is created along each of the front seams. The resulting briefs are considered by some consumers to be less than aesthetically pleasing to the sight or touch. Further, the material costs for the trim strips, and the added labor costs associated with the manufacturing step of stitching the trim strips to the briefs add substantially to the total costs of producing the briefs. What is needed in the art is an underwear seam construction that is sufficiently strong to accommodate the stress associated with normal wear, but is more aesthetically pleasing and cheaper to manufacture than a brief constructed with a trim strip. There has not heretofore, however been an alternative to the use of trim strips for sufficient reinforcement of the seams.